Hamas wants to ensure that Bibi is re-elected in the upcoming election. As a radical hardliner, he helps their cause immensely.

If a peacenik (or even moderate or slightly sane centrist) PM was elected in Israel, there is a huge risk to Hamas that peace could break out, which is obviously not in their interests.

So the logical thing for them to do is exactly what they are doing, be as threatening and aggressive as possible, in order to ensure that their fellow hard-line loonies stay in power in Israel. They recognize that the real threat to extremists is not the extremists on the other side, since they both see things in extreme black & white terms, they actually share most elements of their worldview.

No, the threat to hardliners is the mushy middle. The pacifists on both sides who would rather talk, and build schools, hospitals and make life better for Israelis and Palestinians. Where's the profit and power in that? You keep power by keeping people afraid.

/Got all those weapons, might as well unleash them on the folks who've been penned up for two generations in a 141 square-mile concentration camp and are lashing out again.//Genocide: It's OK when Israel does it.

greentea1985:Hamas is guaranteeing a war, which is exactly what they want. Hamas will fail if Israel and the West Bank ever strike a peace accord, so they are guaranteeing it won't happen by starting a war.

greentea1985:Hamas is guaranteeing a war, which is exactly what they want. Hamas will fail if Israel and the West Bank ever strike a peace accord, so they are guaranteeing it won't happen by starting a war.

Obviously Hamas wants war. Will Bibi be stupid enough to give them what they want?

Ah, yes, science. You know, what you use to make the rockets and bombs.

Anyone who thinks science is always peaceful and religion is always violent is an idiot. It's hard to keep wars going if all you have are stones that you've picked off the ground. That's where science kicks in and shows you all the new ways to kill people. Many where you are thousands of miles away and you don't even have to leave your desk.

Ah, yes, science. You know, what you use to make the rockets and bombs.

Anyone who thinks science is always peaceful and religion is always violent is an idiot. It's hard to keep wars going if all you have are stones that you've picked off the ground. That's where science kicks in and shows you all the new ways to kill people. Many where you are thousands of miles away and you don't even have to leave your desk.

Well it's 1:00 PM here and this is the new front runner for dumbest thing I've read all day.

Ah, yes, science. You know, what you use to make the rockets and bombs.

Anyone who thinks science is always peaceful and religion is always violent is an idiot. It's hard to keep wars going if all you have are stones that you've picked off the ground. That's where science kicks in and shows you all the new ways to kill people. Many where you are thousands of miles away and you don't even have to leave your desk.

Having the technology to make weapons is different than having a moral excuse (or imperative) to kill those you disagree with. Science doesn't have much to do with the latter.

jagermech:bostonguy: /subby// American Israeli who left Tel Aviv to crash at a friend's place in Jerusalem after hearing a rocket explode from his apartment/// Isn't that ironic//// No, not really, Alanis